[ducatiman]

Found the original factory fuel strainer crumpled and shoved 3-4 inches upwards in the fuel hose..... gone undiagnosed prior, preventing full fuel flow....rendering the bike unable to ride?

Never discovered until now.......was this the *real reason* causing running issues...thus bike was abandoned and left in a disused state?

Total conjecture on my part, but an entirely reasonable scenario....lack of fuel delivery prompting a prior owners blindly dipping into the carbs, with multiple errors complicating even further. The documented mauled pilot jet, a bent slide return spring, the decel valve cover *drilled*, left open to atmosphere (instant vacuum leak) and the diaphragm had a tear (caused by the errant drill?), pilot screw had a visibly bent tip. Discovered even more, but these mistakes all corrected...and carbs now back in full working order!